MDCP

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Market Development Cooperator Program

PROJECT PROFILE: National Tour Association (NTA, 2009 award)

Matching Up China Travel Agents and U.S. Tour Operators

With ITA help in the form of an MDCP award, NTA established a presence in China in 2010 to match an increasing number of tourists from China with venues and itineraries provided by U.S. tour operators. Prior to NTA's MDCP project, there simply was no organized effort to connect China travel agents with U.S. tour operators for group leisure travel inbound to the United States.

Working with the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI), predecessor to the National Travel and Tourism Office, in ITA's Industry & Analysis (I&A), NTA was able to document significant increases in China traveler visits to the United States. In the twelve months ended September 30, 2011, NTA reported that 383,272 more travelers from China visited the United States than in the previous baseline period. Based on data gathered by OTTI, this translates to $2.3 billion in additional tourism exports to China. The export value reported by NTA is the highest ever reported by any MDCP partner. NTA went on to generate a total of $6.5 billion of tourism exports during the project period.

Prerequisite to Success: NTA & ITA Collaboration on MOU with China

NTA’s MDCP project would not have been possible without the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by former Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez in December 2007. The MOU was reached under the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) Travel and Tourism Working Group. The interagency team that achieved this agreement and was led by ITA/I&A/OTTI. The MOU established a cooperative tourism framework without necessitating changes in existing U.S. visa policy. Prior to the MOU, China did not allow travel agencies to sell packaged group travel for leisure purposes to Chinese citizens.

The MOU inspired NTA to launch its MDCP project. As a result, scores of U.S. tour operators, mostly small- and medium-size enterprises, are selling tour packages through partnerships brokered by NTA in China, something not possible before the MOU.

NTA's MDCP project, which was completed in 2013, is another example of an MDCP project that a cooperator has sustained after the MDCP funding was spent and the project period ended. NTA continues the effort begun during the MDCP project as its China Inbound Program.

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The National Tour Association (NTA) is a business association for companies and organizations serving customers traveling to, from and within North America. NTA's 700 buyer members are tour operators and travel planners who package travel product domestically and around the world. NTA's seller members — 500 destinations and 1,100 tour suppliers — represent more travel product and more business-to-business networking than any other travel industry association. NTA is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky.

NTA contact: Catherine Prather: Catherine.Prather@ntastaff.com

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Related Links

• NTA home page
• How to apply for MDCP funding
• Contact your local Export Assistance Center
• Highlight: Eight-Fold Increase in Trade Surplus

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